Copyholder



United States Patent 3,089,464 COPYHGLDER Irwin I. Mendels, 542 Ridge Ave, Evanston, ill. Filed Jan. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 80,800 4 Qlaims. (Cl. 120-43) This invention relates, in general, to copyholders, and has particular relation to an improved copyholder strucfor use, for example, by comptometer operators, or others working with ledgers, or the like, and with adding or calculating machines.

Prior to the present invention, the usual practice, for example, in totalizing figures from a ledger has been for the operator successively to transfer the listed figures from the ledger to the adding machine, while holding with a finger of the hand the successive places in the ledger as the figures are transferred therefrom. This is tedious and distraction may result in removing or shifting the finger from the desired place, thus losing the desired position.

The concept of the present invention is to provide a copyholder that may be slipped into a ledger, or the like, without removing the sheet from the ledger, and a line guide for successively holding the desired places without requiring the use of the finger of the hand for that purpose. i

More particularly, according to the present. invention, the eopyholder comprises a sheet of flexible and preferable plastic material adapted to he slipped into the ledger beneath the sheet from which figures or other data are to be taken or transferred and which, because of its flexibility, will conform to the ledger sheet.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of 'an angular metallic member along one side margin of the sheet of flexible plastic material. This angular metallic member has one flange overlying and secured to the margin of the'flexible plastic sheet and provided on its upper or outer surface with suitable line markings; also another flange adapted to extend down or inwardly along the adjacent edges of the underlying ledger sheets when the copyholder is slipped into the ledger beneath the sheet from which the figures or other data are to be taken or transferred.

Another feature resides in the provision of a flexible and preferably plastic line guide, which may have a line guide extension if desired, and is adapted to extend across the ledger or other sheet to hold the desired positions. The flexible line guide is of a character to conform to the ledger sheet and electrostatically to hug the same and secured to one end of the line guide is an angular plastic member having a flange carrying a magnet bar and shiftable to different positions along the metallic member along one margin of the flexible plastic sheet and held magnetically to the downwardly or inwardly extending flange of the metallic member in any desired position.

Another feature resides in the provision of a flexible metallic strip secured along the upper margin of the flexible plastic sheet, and a holding bar adapted to be held magnetically to this strip over the adjacent edge of the ledger sheet for holding the upper edge of the ledger sheet in place.

Another feature resides in the provision of an improved form of copyholder embodying the features disclosed herein, which is relatively lightweight and portable, so that it may be conveniently used and carried about, for

ice

example, in a brief case from place to place, if desired.

Further features and advantages and adaptations of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it being understood that the invention is limited only within the scope of the appended claims and not to the particular embodiments selected for illustration.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one illustrative form of copyholder embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 2-2- of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the hold down her looking into the open bottom thereof;

FIGURE 5 is an inner view of the magnet bar carrying flange of the angular plastic bar to which the line guide is secured, showing the magnet bar in the pocket therein and the line guide in section;

FIGURE 6 is -a fragmentary perspective view showing the copyholder according to the present invention slipped into a ledger beneath the ledger sheet from which figures or other data are to be taken or transferred; and

FIGURE 7 is a front side view of a line guide having a line guide extension pivoted thereto.

Referring to the drawing, the icopyholder according to the present invention comprises a rectangular sheet 1 of flexible plastic material, such as Vinylite.

An angular metallic member 2 of magnetizable material, such as iron or steel, has a first flange 3 overlying and secured, for example, by eye-let form rivets 4 to one side margin of the sheet 1. The upper or outer surface of the flange 3 is provided with line markings 5 arranged vertically thereon. The member 2 has a second flange 6- adapted to extend inwardly or downwardly along the adjacent edges 7 of the ledger sheets 8 underlying the ledger sheet 9, beneath which the flexible plastic sheet 1 is slipped or inserted for use, as shown fragmentarily in FIGURE 6, in transferring figures, or other data, from the sheet 9, for example, toan adding machine.

A flexible plastic line guide It) fonmed, for example, of a strip of Vinylite, extends across the sheet 1 and when the copyholder is slipped into a ledger, the line guide It) extends over the overlying ledger sheet 9, or

other sheet, from which figures, or other data, are adapted to be taken or transferred, as shown fragmentarily in FIGURE 6.

An angular plastic bar 11, formed, for example, of Vinylite, has a first flange 12 to which the adjacent end of the line guide strip 10 is secured, for example, by eyelet form rivets 13. The angular plastic bar 11 has a second flange 14 for positioning against the outer surface of the flange 6 of the metallic member 2. This second flange 14' has a pocket 15 closed peripherally and outwardly and opening toward the flange 6. Suitably fixed within this pocket 15 and exposed to the flange 6 is a magnet bar 16 which magnetically holds the line guide to the flange 6.

In use, the line guide is positioned, for example, be-

neath figures or other data 18 of a list of such data on the ledger sheet 9 to hold the place while such data is being taken or transferred from the sheet. When that has been done, the line guide is shifted downwardly to underlying data 19 and again held in place by the magnetic traction exerted by the magnet bar 16 on the magnetizable flange 6 of the member 2.

A flexible metallic strip overlies and is secured along the upper margin of the flexible plastic sheet 1, for example, by eyelet form rivets 21. The flexibility of the sheet 1 and strip 2G enable the same to conform to the ledger sheet 9 or other sheet beneath which the sheet 1 and strip 20 are positioned in use. Moreover, the flexible line guide 10 is of a character to conform to the ledger sheet over which it is disposed and electrostatically to hug the same.

A hold down bar 24 comprises a generally channelshaped plastic member 2 5, formed, for example, of Vinylite, with closed ends 26 and an open bottom 27. Plastic walls 28 extend transversely between the side walls 29, which are closed at the top. The walls 28 are in spaced relation with regard to the closed ends 26 and form pockets 30. A magnet bar 32 is secured within each pocket 30 and these magnet bars 32 are exposed through the open bottom 27 of the generally channel-shaped member 25.

Thus, when the copyholder is slipped into the ledger, as shown fragmentarily in FIGURE 6, and the open bottom of the bar 29 is placed over the upper margin of the ledger sheet 9 and upon the metallic strip 20, as shown in FIGURE 6 with the ledger sheet in place, and in FIG- URE 1 without the ledger sheet, the magnetic traction exerted by the magnet bars 32 on the magnetiza-ble strip 20, holds the adjacent edge of the ledger sheet 9 in place on the strip 20.

In FIGURE 7 the line guide 10', which may be similar to the line guide 10 shown in FIGURES 1 and 6, has a line guide extension 35. This line guide extension 35 is formed of a flexible plastic strip, for example, Vinylite, similar to the strip 10' and is pivoted, for example, by an eyelet pivot 36 to the free end of the strip or line guide 10. The line guide extension 35 is adapted to be swung to position extending beyond the line guide 10' to provide a longer line guide as shown in FIGURE 7. Where the length of the strip 10' is suflicient for line guide purposes, the extension 35 may be swung back about the pivot 36 to position overlying and parallel with the strip 10.

Within the broader aspects of the present invention, the hold down bar 24 may be omitted and the upper edge of the ledger sheet 9, or other sheet, may be clamped to the strip 20, or to the upper margin of the sheet 1, by applying a spring clip of standard form over the upper margin of the sheet 1 and the adjacent margin of the ledger sheet, yieldingly to hold the upper margin of the ledger sheet in place. The spring clip is removed and the upper margin of the ledger sheet released in such case by merely pressing the jaws of the spring clip apart to release the same from the sheet 1 and the ledger sheet.

The embodiments of the invention disclosed in the drawing and the specification are for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be expressly understood that said drawing and the specification are not to be construed as a definition of the limits or scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for that purpose.

I claim:

1. A copyholder comprising a flat sheet of flexible plastic material restricted at its inner and lower ends to the thickness of said sheet to facilitate slipping of said sheet into a ledger beneath a ledger sheet, an angular metallic member having a first flange overlying and secured to the outer side margin of said flexible plastic sheet, said angular metallic member having a second flange at generally right angles to said first flange and adapted to extend inwardly along the adjacent edges of the sheets of the ledger beneath the ledger sheet beneath which the flat sheet of flexible plastic material is disposed, a flexible plastic line guide adapted to extend across the ledger sheet beneath which the flat sheet of flexible plastic material is disposed to hold desired positions, a plastic member secured to the outer end of said line guide and having a pocket for presentation to the outer surface of the second flange of said angular metallic member, and a magnet bar secured within said pocket for presentation to said outer surface of said second flange of said angular metallic member magnetically to hold said line guide to said second flange of said angular metallic member in any desired position along said angular metallic member.

2. A copyholder according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the first flange of the angular metallic member has vertically arranged line markings thereon.

3. A copyholder comprising a flat sheet of flexible plastic material restricted at its inner and lower ends to the thickness of said sheet to facilitate slipping of said sheet into a ledger beneath a ledger sheet, an angular metallic member having a first flange overlying and secured to the outer side margin of said flexible plastic sheet, said angular metallic member having a second flange at generally right angles to said first flange and adapted to extend inwardly along the adjacent edges of the sheets of the ledger beneath the ledger sheet beneath which the flat sheet of flexible material is disposed, at flexible plastic line guide adapted to extend across the ledger sheet beneath which the flat sheet of flexible plastic material is disposed to hold desired positions, a plastic member secured to the outer end of said line guide and having a pocket for presentation to the outer surface of the second flange of said angular metallic member, a magnet bar secured within said pocket for presentation to said outer surface of said second flange of said angular metallic member magnetically to hold said line guide to said second flange of said angular metallic member in any desired position along said angular metallic member, a thin flexible metallic strip secured to the upper surface of said sheet of flexible plastic material along the upper margin of said sheet for positioning beneath the upper margin of the ledger sheet beneath which the flat sheet of flexible plastic material is disposed, a hold down bar comprising a plastic member having a pocket for presentation to said thin flexible metallic strip over the upper margin of the ledger sheet, and a magnet bar secured within said pocket for presentation to said thin flexible metallic strip through the upper margin of the ledger sheet magnetically to hold the upper margin of the ledger sheet in place on said thin flexible metallic strip.

4. A copyholder comprising a flat sheet of flexible plastic material restricted at its inner and lower ends to the thickness of said sheet to facilitate slipping of said sheet into a ledger beneath a ledger sheet, an angular metallic member having a first flange overlying and secured to the outer side margin of said flexible plastic sheet, said angular metallic member having a second flange at generally right angles to said first flange and adapted to extend inwardly along the adjacent edges of the sheets of the ledger beneath the ledger sheet beneath which the flat sheet of flexible plastic material is disposed, a flexible plastic line guide adapted to extend across the ledger sheet beneath which the flat sheet of flexible plastic material is disposed to hold desired positions, a plastic member secured to the outer end of said line guide and having a pocket for presentation to the outer surface of the second flange of said angular metallic member, a magnet bar secured within said pocket for presentation to said outer surface of said second flange of said angular metallic member magnetically to hold said line guide to said second flange of said angular metallic member in any desired position along said angular metallic member, a thin metallic strip secured to the upper surface of said sheet of flexible plastic material along the upper margin of said sheet for positioning beneath the upper margin of the ledger sheet beneath which the flat sheet of flexible plastic material is disposed, a hold down bar comprising a plastic member having a pair of longitudinally spaced pockets for presentation to said thin flexible metallic strip over the upper margin of the ledger sheet, and magnet bars secured within said latter pockets for presentation to said thin metallic strip through the upper margin of the ledger sheet magnetically to hold the upper margin of the ledger sheet in place on said thin flexible metallic strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 807,095 Smith Dec. 12, 1905 6 'McKeehan Oct. 31, 1939 Grodsky Oct. 27, 1942 Waggoner Sept. 18, 1956 Fraseh Dec. 22, 1959 Howard Apr. 25, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Apr. 2, 1923 Great Britain Feb. 5, 1945 

1. A COPYHOLDER COMPRISING A FLAT SHEET OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC MATERIAL RESTRICTED AT ITS INNER AND LOWER ENDS TO THE THICKNESS OF SAID SHEET TO FACILITATE SLIPPING OF SAID SHEET INTO A LEDGER BENEATH A LEDGER SHEET, AN ANGULAR METALLIC MEMBER HAVING A FIRST FLANGE OVERLYING AND SECURED TO THE OUTER SIDE MARGIN OF SID FLEXIBLE PLASTIC SHEET, SAID ANGULAR METALLIC MEMBER HAVING A SECOND FLANGE AT GENERALLY RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID FIRST FLANGE AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND INWARDLY ALONG THE ADJACENT EDGES OF THE SHEETS OF THE LEDGER BENEATH THE LEDGER SHEET BENEATH WHICH THE FLAT SHEET OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC MATERIAL IS DISPOSED, A FLEXIBLE PLASTIC LINE GUIDE ADAPTED TO EXTEND ACROSS THE LEDGER SHEET BENEATH WHICH THE FLAT SHEET OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC MATERIAL IS DISPOSED TO HOLD DESIRED POSITIONS, A PLASTIC MEMBER SECURED TO THE OUTER END OF SAID LINE GUIDE AND HAVING A POCKET FOR PRESENTATION TO THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE SECOND FLANGE OF SAID ANGULAR METALLIC MEMBER, AND A MAGNET BAR SECURED WITHIN SAID POCKET FOR PRESENTATION TO SAID OUTER SURFACE OF SAID SECOND FLANGE OF SAID ANGULAR METALLIC MEMBER MAGNETICALLY TO HOLD SAID LINE GUIDE TO SAID SECOND FLANGE OF SAID ANGULAR METALLIC MEMBER IN ANY DESIRED POSITION ALONG SAID ANGULAR METALLIC MEMBER. 